Allah Taãla says in the Noble Qurãn, 'You are the best of nations sent to man. You command good and forbid evil and you believe in Allah'. (Aali Imraan).
Allah Taãla states that one reason for this Ummah being titled as the best of Ummah, is the practice of commanding good and preventing evil'.
http://www.answering-christianity.com/

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Sunday, October 21, 2012

125. Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet,
may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Belief has over sixty
branches. The best of them is the words, ‘There is no god but Allah’ and
the least of them is to remove an obstacle from the road.” [Agreed upon] Riyad as-Salihin

119. Abu Dharr also reported that the
Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “The actions of
my community, both good and bad, were displayed before me and I found
among their good actions removing obstacles from the road and I found
among their bad actions spittle in the mosque which is not buried.” [Muslim] Riyad as-Salihin

122. Abu Hurayra said, “The Messenger of
Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Sadaqa is owed by
every limb people have. Every day on which the sun rises in which
someone establishes justice between two people is sadaqa. To help a man
with his animal and help him onto it is sadaqa. Or to lift his goods
onto it is sadaqa. A good word is sadaqa. Every step you take to the
prayer is sadaqa. Removing an obstacle from the road is sadaqa.” [Agreed upon] Riyad as-Salihin

How to remove an obstacle?

1. Identify obstacle to be removed. The ability to identify obstacles
and understand why they are causing problems is only the first step in
removing obstacles.

2. DIY (Do it yourself) -- Deal with the obstacle directly without
involving other people. This can be as simple as getting up and moving
an the obstacle from the road. e.g

* picking up a brick or stone from the road,
* picking up litter as you walking pass,
* Cleaning up the masjid
* picking up a small branch that is obstructing traffic. (Be careful and assess if it is safe to do it yourself)

3. Delegate -- Identify the obstacle and give precise instructions for
its removal to a person who will directly perform the removal. This can
sometimes work if removing an obstacle takes a great deal of time,
effort or specialized skills that you yourself do not possess. E.g.

* Calling the water company when there is a burst pipe,
* Call the fire station if there is a huge tree in the middle of the road.
* Call the traffic department if there is something on the highway/freeway.

NB: Always remember when doing a good
deed, have the correct intention/niyyah, do it for Allah’s pleasure with
sincerity. May all our good deeds be accepted. In shaa Allah.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Once a brother was driving while visiting in a country, along with his
wife. A lady pulled up beside him and started yelling obceneties at him,
and asking " why are you doing that to her". She was talking about his
veiled wife.

He told her to pullover on the side, and she did.

He said "you asked me a question, I will answer it"

"where is your money he said?"

... Reluctantly she answered "in my wallet"

"where is your wallet?" he asked.

"why? Why do you want to know" she replied.

He said "you asked me a question and I will answer it, I am not going to rob you, just answer the question"

"in my purse" she said.

"where do you keep your purse?"

"Why?" she asked.

"You asked a question and I will answer it, where do you keep your purse?"

"Under the seat in my car" she answered.

"why do you do that?"

"why go through the trouble of putting your money in your wallet, then in a purse, the putting the purse under the seat?"

"To protect it, should someone want to steal it" she said.

"that is why my wife is covered, to protect her."

May ALLAH make it easy for the sisters to wear the Hijab in the CORRECT
manner. May the covering of your shroud not be the first time you will
wear the Hijab. Aameen.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

One
day of the many days, there was a man travelling with his Wife and
Kids. On the way they met a person standing on the roadside. He asked:
"Who are you?"

The man said: "I am 'the Money'."

So the man asked his wife and kids: "Should we ask him to ride with us?"

They
all said together: "Yes, of course! Because 'the Money' can help us do
anything we want and get anyth...ing we wished." So they took 'the
Money' to ride with them. The vehicle continued on its way until they
met another person on the road. The Father asked: "Who are you?"

He said: "I am 'the high position and power'."

So the father asked his wife and kids: "Should we ask him to ride with us?"

They
all answered in one voice: "Yes, of course! Because with 'the high
position and power' we have the ability to do anything we want and own
anything we wished." So they took 'the high position and power' with
them, and the vehicle continued to finish its trip.

In
this way, they met with many people who promised pleasures and desires
of life, UNTIL... They met one strange person... The Father asked: "Who
are you?"

He said: "I am 'the Deen' (Islam)."

So
the father, the wife, and the kids; all of them said in one voice: "No,
no, this isn't the time, we desire the pleasures of life and the
Dunyah. ‘The Deen' will prevent us and then stop us from all pleasurable
things and it will take control of our lives. We will be worn-out from
being loyal to it and its teachings. The Halaal and the Haraam, and this
thing ‘prayer’ and that thing ‘Hijaab’, and the fasting, and; and; and;
and; and; etc, It will be a burden for us!!!"

"But certainly, we will return to pick you up after we enjoy life and everything else in it."

So sadly, they left him behind and the vehicle continued on its trip.

All
of a sudden, out of nowhere something appeared in the middle of the
road. It was a check-point with the sign saying STOP!!! They found a man
gesturing for the father to get out of the vehicle. The man said to the
father: "Your trip has ended. Come with me."

The father was shocked with fear and did not say a word. The man said to him: "I am searching for ‘the DEEN’. Is he with you?"

The father answered: "No, I left him not too far back. If you could allow me to go back, I will get him for you."

The
man said: "You do not have the ability to go back now. Your trip has
ended and there is no returning... going back is impossible."

The
man said to him: "Neither will they benefit you now nor will they
protect you when you come in front of Allah. Not even one bit! You have
left all of them behind. The only one that will help you now is 'The
Deen' you know, the one who YOU left behind on the road."

The father asked: "And who are you exactly?"

He replied: "I AM 'the DEATH' - The one who you were heedless of - and the one who you did not think of on your trip!!!"

The
father turned around and looked at his vehicle and found his wife
taking control and continuing the trip along with all of the passengers
besides him. And none of them had stayed behind with him. He was left
all alone.

LET
US NOT COMPROMISE OUR DEEN FOR THE WORLDLY THINGS. ONLY OUR DEEN WILL
ACCOMPANY US BEYOND TH GRAVE. May ALLAH give us the ability to always do
the things that will help us on the Day of Reckoning. Aameen

Sunday, October 7, 2012

The Blessed Prophet(SAW) said, “Whosoever removes adhaa (anything
repulsiveor harmful) from the masjid, Allah will make a house for him in
Jannah.” (ibn majah)

The Blessed Prophet (SAW) once saw phlegm on the wall of the masjid.
His face became red with anger. A woman amongst the Ansaar came,
removed it, and replaced it with incense.

Abu Hurairah narrated that: “A man or a woman used to clean the
mosque.” (Most probably a woman according to a sub-narrator). According
to another hadith, the Prophet offered her funeral prayer at her grave.
[Sahih al-Bukhari: Vol. 1, #450]

The Prophet (S) passed by a grave and asked his companions about it.
His companions replied it is the grave of Umm Muhjan. The Prophet (S)
rebuked them because they did not inform him of her death and then
prayed the funeral prayer over her. He then said: ‘Why did you not
inform me?’ They replied- you were sleeping and we did not like to wake
you’. The Prophet prayed for her and had great respect for her as she
used to spend her efforts in cleaning the house of Allah and the
Prophet’s masjid.” (Related by Muslim)

Action plan

1.The masjid is the house of Allah. Ensure it is spotless. It is a
place of dawah as well and first impressions last. Please always keep
it clean and tidy especially the ablution areas and the toilets. If you
mess water clean up the spillage.

2. Hire someone to maintain cleanliness in the masjid, their job
description should be to ensure the masjid is clean and tidy before and
after salaah. Donate towards the cleaners salary.

3. If you see any obstacles, dirt etc in the masjid pick up or clean it and Allah will reward you with a house in jannah.

4. When entering masjid put shoes neatly and don’t throw them all over the place. Put in shoe racks.

5. Start a clean up committee and get volunteers to clean up masjid
weekly and do a good spring clean of the masjid monthly. Set up a
meeting with current cleaners and trustees of the masjid and inform them
about your intentions. Find out what the cleaning needs are. Have a
plan and create a schedule.Allocate a day or salaah for members to be in
charge to ensure the masjid is clean. Do a needs analysis.

6. Put posters in and around the masjid as reminders of being clean, not wasting water etc.

7. Smoking is a bad habit but if you insist to smoke in front of the masjid, throw the cigarette buds in a bin.

8. If you are gum chewer please discard it properly or swallow it.

9. Parents if you bringing children to the masjid ensure they well
behaved. If they mess up the walls and untidy the place. Clean up or
ensure they clean up before you leave.

10. Please try not to eat and drink in the masjid unless it is iftar.
Clean up after yourself. If you spill or mess clean up before you
leave.

11. If possible make wudu and use the toilet at home before you come
to the masjid. If it is an emergency and you have to use the toilet at
the masjid please remember cleanliness is half of faith.

12. If you changing baby diapers don’t change it in the prayer area.
Try and ask the trustees to install baby changing area in the bathroom.
Don’t leave diapers laying around. Best is to carry diaper waste bags
with you and dispose of the diaper at home or in the outside bin of the
masjid.

13. Volunteer to clean your local masjid and make a difference.

14. When entering masjid ensure your shoes, socks, clothes, breath
etc are all clean. If it rains or snows and shoes are muddy make sure
shoes are clean before entering masjid premises.

15. Encourage recycling at the masjid

16. Make the masjid eco friendly and save electricity.

17. Save water and organise for a borehole to be installed at the
masjid and use for ablution etc. don’t waste water while cleaning the
masjid.

Oh yeah, this one is
difficult. It’s hard enough for many Muslims to even get up for Salaatul
Fajr (the Dawn Prayer) which is mandatory. It’s certainly no easy thing
waking up even earlier for the night prayer. Establishing and
maintaining this wonderful act takes great sacrifice and patience.
Which is why the rewards are so plentiful.In fact, this is one of the few Sunnahs that are endorsed by Allah in the Quran as well as the hadith.

Arise to (pray) the night except for a little. Half of it or subtract from it a little.
Chapter 73, verse 2-3.

2. Making All of The Sunnah Prayers

Two Rakaah before Salaatul Fajr; none after.

Four Rakaah before Salaatul Dhuhr; two Rakaah after.

Four Rakaah before Salaatul Asr; none after.

None before Salaatul Maghrib; two Rakaah after.

None before Salaatul Isha; two Rakaah after.

It is also recommended that you make Salaatul Witr before going to bed. This can also be combined with Tahajjud instead.

3. Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays

Generally, fasting is
difficult no matter when you do it. It’s difficult to do it for thirty
days straight during Ramadhan. And it’s difficult to do it twice a week
outside of Ramadan.But it is an act that
is loved by Allah. So, it is something you should try to make part of
your life. After all, this is one action that no one except you and
Allah knows about.People can see you pray. And they can see you give charity. And they can see you read Quran.But no one can “see”
you fast. Even if you tell someone you’re fasting, no one knows the
truth except you and Allah. That’s one of the reasons Allah loves this
deed so much.4. Reciting Suratul Kahf on Fridays

Suratul Kahf (the
Chapter of the Cave) is a very interesting chapter. It is the 18th
chapter of the Quran and includes many lessons and stories. Some of the
stories included are:

The story of the Companions of the Cave.

The story of Musa and Khidhr.

The story of Dhul Qarnain and Gog and Magog.

Some of the lessons included are:

Leaving the land of disbelief if oppressed for your beliefs.

Understanding that all pleasures in this world are temporary.

Being patient with Allah’s decree.

Signs of the Last Day.

Whoever reads Suratul Kahf on Friday, he will be illuminated with light between the two Fridays. Narrated by Al-Hakim

It’s easy to see the
benefits of reciting suratul Kahf every Friday. But actually doing so is
not so easy. Some reasons I think many people neglect this action:

It’s
a fairly long chapter. It takes about forty minutes to read the entire
chapter in Arabic with proper Tajweed. Even someone who reads better
than I do would probably take at least half an hour.

You
have to know how to read Arabic and read it pretty well. If you don’t
know how to read Arabic or if you’re not very good at it, you’re going
to find what takes me forty minutes will probably take you a couple of
hours. Not trying to discourage you. Just keeping it real. And no, you
can’t read it in English and expect the same reward.

People
forget. It’s not easy to remember to do something once a week, week in
and week out. If it’s done every day, it might be easier to remember. My
suggestion, program your cell phone calendar to remind you that it’s
Friday and you have to read Suratul Kahf.

People are lazy. Plain and simple.

5. Making Two Rakaahs After Every Wudu

Seriously? This one is not even all that difficult. But I’m sure many people don’t do it.

Abu Hurairah reported
that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, said to Bilal, “O
Bilal, tell me what good deed you have done in Islam that I hear the
sound of your footsteps in Paradise?” Bilal said, “That after I purify
myself during the day or night, I pray with that purification as much as
Allah has destined for me.” Related by Bukhari

I can understand why
you might want to neglect this deed. If you work in an office building
or are in school, it may not be so easy to find a place to make a two
rakaah several times a day.

But this is a list difficult Sunnahs, isn’t it?

Don’t be too hard on
yourself if you’re not fulfilling any of these. Even though there is
great reward in doing them, they are voluntary acts. So there is no
punishment if you decide not to do them.

However, rather than neglect them altogether, pick out the ones you think you can do. And then, do it.It’s really that simple.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

“And seek help in patience and As-Salaah (the prayer) and truly, it is
extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khaashi‘oon [i.e. the true
believers in Allaah — those who obey Allaah with full submission, fear
much from His punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise) and in
His Warnings (Hell)].[al-Baqarah 2:45]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Prayer in
congregation is twenty-seven times better than prayer offered alone.”
(Narrated by Muslim, no. 650)